The Hardest of Things
by QueenOfTheGryffindorks
Summary: Sometimes saying thank you is hard. Sometimes saying goodbye is harder...I saddly don't own the characters...


**Good-bye**

Harry flopped on his bed attempting to wallow in his own self pity. Why was it always the people he loves the most that die? He grew up with no parents to love, and when he finally had a father figure to be there for him the hands of fate ripped him and Sirius apart leaving Harry to feel enormously guilty. Now once again fate has struck, this time taking Dumbledore from Harry. For most of the students of Hogwarts it was a terrible loss, but it hit Harry hard. He and Dumbledore always had a special relationship like that a grandson would have with his grandfather. The loss of him made Harry feel absolutely alone in the world. Sure he had Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasleys there to support him in the fight against Voldemort, but sometimes it wasn't enough. He felt like he was imposing on their lives with his own pain and suffering. Baring that in mind Harry desided to deal with the loss of Dumbledore alone in the only way he could think of, and that is by locking himself with his thoughts in his room.

If it wasn't for his first hand experiences in death Harry would have never realized someone could hurt like this. A tear strayed from one of his eyes, he didn't even bother wasting his time by brushing it away knowing if he did another would only take it's place. A loud crash of thunder sounded almost as if mother nature sensed Harry's inner turmoil. Rain began pelting off the closed stain glass window that bared the Gryffindor house crest. Harry rose from bed deciding a walk would do him some good. Harry descended down the stairs to see the tearful faces of others who obviously had been effected by the tragedy. Everyone was shocked to see Harry had emerged from his room. Most expected he would spend at least a day or two locked inside mourning on his own. He shared a meaning full glance with Hermione was brushing away her tears, she flashed a small smile, he nodded in return, and continued to exit the room silently. Harry wandered through the corridors looking at the ground. He walked for almost ten minutes without realizing where his legs were even taking him.

When he finally looked up he learned he was now at the foot of the stairs that led to the top of the astronomy tower. He stood for a minute knowing it clearly wasn't safe to be up there when it was storming so violently out, yet he didn't care. He treaded up the stairs knowing that it was up at the top where Snape had killed Dumbledore and the dark mark was shot into the sky by the deranged killer of his godfather. None of that mattered at this moment though, Harry felt more empty now than he had ever before.

Now at the top of the stairs Harry stepped toward the large open window, and peered out into the darkness that was currently being illuminated by lightning. Small drops of rain kissed Harry's face hiding his tears by blending with them, and the guilt began setting in. He should have done something. He should have saved him. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud rumble of thunder fallowed by another flash of lightning. Harry watched it attentively, slowly bringing himself back to his thoughts, they were more in depth than ever. Lightning was the start of all this, he thought as he traced the scar on his forehead. The night his parents died, was the same night Harry was cursed with the thin lightning bolt scar, marking that the war they all the was over had only just begun. In that same war that still goes on at this very moment, Harry had lost a good friend, his godfather and now his mentor. Harry leaned further out the window wishing he would fall. He began to raise a leg of the ground and let go of the ledge of the window when he felt strong hands pull him back inside.

Harry looked up to try to get a look at his saviors face, to discover it had been his enemy of 6 years, the Slytherin ice prince, the newly pronounced death eater who not five hours almost killed Dumbledore himself, Draco Malfoy. Harry gazed at him confusedly as he slid down the damp stone cold wall into a sitting position. Draco copied his motion.

"Why did you stop me?" Harry managed to choke out. Draco turned to him.

"Because, what kind of person would I be to let you do something so stupid." Harry just stared at Draco unsure of what to say, allowing himself to continue to feel like it was his fault that Dumbledore was now dead. "It's not your fault." Draco said as if he could read Harry's thoughts.

"How did you know I think that?" Harry asked pondering it to himself.

"I assumed, seeing as how I feel the same way. **I** almost killed him. **I **held him at wand point. Yet he surrendered his own wand and stood their unarmed. **I** could have stopped it. **I** could have told him that Voldemort was going to have him killed. **I **could have stood my ground, and made it so Snape wouldn't have had the chance to kill him. **I** let the death eaters in the school. Don't you see that this isn't your fault." Draco confessed. Harry felt horrible that Draco blamed himself.

"Draco," Harry uttered for the first time ever. "It isn't your fault either."

"You don't understand. I was forced into being a death eater, by my own father. He said if I didn't become one he would kill me." Draco said as his eyes filled with tears. Harry saw no point in trying to hide his tears. It pained him to think a father could be so cruel as to threaten to kill their own son over becoming a death eater.

"I'm so sorry." Harry whispered to Draco as he pulled him into a brotherly, friendly hug, and to Harry's surprise Draco hugged back. Draco never would have thought in a million years that he would ever be hugging his rival as though they were friends. Harry wiped away his tears and stated a word that he thought was the most difficult word to say to his long time rival "Thanks"

Harry and Draco walked back to their own common rooms knowing that they both found a friend in each other, that if not for the war they never would have seen.

Harry spoke to no one before bed deciding everyone would find out about the events of the night before quit soon anyway.

The next morning when Harry woke he dressed quickly and headed to the library where he and Draco agreed to meet before breakfast. They had a plan to announce there new found friendship to the school and intended on keeping to it. So at nine o'clock when it was definite that everyone had already been in the great all eating breakfast Draco and Harry walked side by side into the great hall talking about common interests such as quittage. They even went as far as to sit together at the Slytherin table assuming Draco's friends would be more accepting of their friendship than Harry's. Everyone stared at them bemused by the site. In fact many would go as far as to say they wouldn't have believed it if they didn't see it for themselves. As rare as it was everyone accepted it, some harder than others, namely Ron. Who constantly bickered with Harry that Draco was up to something or that they shouldn't be trusting him since he was technically a death eater, but Harry disregarded it. Whether Harry and Draco knew it or not, deciding upon friendship was one of the best dictions they made.

The days passed slowly as Harry and Draco's friendship strengthen. They told each other secret ambitions, told jokes and were never separated for more than the 9 hours they slept at night. They even had a set time and place where they met in the mornings to walk to breakfast together.

Though one morning unparticular had been different than all the others. This morning marked one month since Dumbledore had been murdered, one month since Harry almost committed suicide, and one month since Harry and Draco had became friends. Little did Harry and Draco know that Voldemort also plotted another attack on Hogwarts this day. It had been unusually cold and rainy which added to the slight depression that the entire school felt. Classes were canceled in loving memory of Dumbledore so Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione sulked around in the room of requirement. Harry had been having an odd feeling all day today, but though nothing of it assuming it was depression taking it's toll on him. He couldn't have been more wrong. At that moment Harry's scar felt as though it was set a blazed and Draco's unwanted dark mark glowed a slimy tinge of green. Ron, Hermione, Draco and Harry shared petrified looks knowing that Lord Voldemort was near.

They rushed out of the room of requirements and ran towards the head masters office to inform Professor McGonagall but it was already to late. Duels had broken out between death eaters and Professors across the corridors. Harry's clapped his hand to his scar and groaned in pain. They sprinted towards the great hall seeing all the damage that had already been done to the school. When they entered through the ruble Voldemort himself stood in there presence, along with Lucius, and Bellatrix. Harry and the others drew there wands without a single sound. Voldemort laughed at their gesture.

"Expelliarmus." Lucius cried catching all four of their wands. They now stood defenseless. When Bellatrix stepped forward.

"Crucio." She sneered while pointing and flicking her wand at Ron. He cried out in pain. Hermione rushed to his side and plead with Bellatrix to stop. Tears fled down Hermione's cheeks as Ron's screams grew louder. Voldemort watched in amusement for a while then returned his attention back to Harry and Draco. He raised his wand, mumbled a curse and Harry was put into a full body bind.

"This is how it must end Harry Potter." Voldemort said briefly before lifting his wand once again. "Avada Kedavra" He sneered. Harry closed his eyes awaited the green light to hit him but it never did. When he opened them he saw one of the worst sights he had ever seen. Draco lied cold, and lifeless before him. While his own father roared with laughter, thinking of how foolish his own son was to chose friendship over power, before disappearing off with the other death eaters and Voldemort.

Everyone realized someone had been killed and slowly gathered around Draco's body, which Harry hunched over. "No, you can't be dead." Harry sobbed to himself. "you just can't be." Harry placed his hand on Draco's chest. "Please don't leave me." Despite Harry's wishes Draco had already passed on. Harry realized now that he was wrong one month ago to this date, the hardest thing ever to say to Draco wasn't thank you, it was good-bye.


End file.
